Low Emissivity? Use a Patch To Get Accurate Measurement

Another way to get an accurate temperature measurement on a material with a low emissivity rating is to cover it with something with a high emissivity rating and let it come to temperature.

For example, a polished metal skillet can be covered with a thin layer of cooking oil, which has an emissivity rating of 0.95. Be sure to allow time for the cooking oil to come to temperature before taking your measurement. But once they are the same temperature, the highly emissive cooking oil makes checking the skillet temperature easy.

The temperature of other metals can be measured more accurately by spraying a spot with flat black paint or by applying a few pieces of black electrical tape and allowing it to come to temperature - both have an emissivity rating of 0.95. When using this method, however, be very careful that the field of view for your measurement does not extend beyond the blackened spot or your reading will be skewed by the surrounding metal.

This is also a great way to get a reading on a non-organic surface with an infrared thermometer that has fixed emissivity.

ETI retains the design and manufacturing copyrights for all goods. ETI owns full copyright in respect of all content, text and images in or on its catalogues, websites and emails and their reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without ETI's prior written consent.